Members of the Wireless Radiation Protection Coalition will
answer questions and distribute fliers today at the Queen
Ka'ahumanu Center as part of a national campaign to stop
"Smart Grid" metering programs by power utilities.
Citing what the group says are "thousands of instances of
'smart' meter fires, health problems and violations of
privacy laws," the coalition wants an "immediate moratorium
on 'smart meter' installations."
Maui Electric Co. has a "smart
meter" program ongoing in Maui Meadows in Kihei. There,
more than 100 meters have been installed to help MECO reduce
peak demand for electricity, improve service, help customers
make informed energy-use decisions and integrate renewable
energy.
Resident Ken Molina, a volunteer in the program, said he was
happy to have his smart meter installed.
"I was unsure at first, but did my homework, weighed the
pros and cons, and decided that the positives outweighed the
negatives," he said. "I enjoy being able to see my energy
usage on an hourly basis. This has made me make better
decisions in energy usage."
According to a report by the California Council on Science
and Technology, radio frequency exposure from a person
standing 3 to 10 feet from a smart meter is 125 to 1,250
times less than a person taking a cellphone call.
During hearings earlier this year before the Energy Board in
Quebec, 55 Canadian scientists and engineers issued a
statement in support of smart meter technology. In part, the
group said there "is no clear link between exposure to radio
frequencies (within existing safety standards) and any
health effects whatsoever."
According to the anti-smart grid coalition, the meters emit
strong bursts of microwave radiation that the World Health
Organization "labeled a Class 2b carcinogen in May of 2011."
That would put smart meters in the same category as lead,
DDT and chloroform, the group said.
The group said the American Academy of Environmental
Medicine has warned people about possible medical
conditions, and that people have reported ringing in their
ears, headaches, nausea, heart irregularities, memory loss
and anxiety after a smart meter was installed on their home.
The group also maintains that the meters constitute an
invasion of privacy because they can reveal people's daily
schedules, use of individual appliances, whether they use
certain medical equipment or other personal information.
Maui Electric spokeswoman Kau'i Awai-Dickson said the
electric company has a strict corporate policy on security
and protection of customer information.
"We want to ensure that as we develop these technologies,
the highest possible level of security is integrated," she
said. "The safety of our customers and our employees is our
highest priority, and we take every precaution to ensure
safety is first and foremost with this and any project we
undertake."
Try any
Q-Link or
cell chip
for 3 months, absolutely
RISK-FREE If you do not feel Q-Link improves your
focus, energy, or well-being, simply return it for a full
refund.
Airtube headsets have
30 a day refund.
